Portable egress containment system

ABSTRACT

A portable egress containment apparatus including a flexible catcher member having a first end and an opposing second end, a storage cavity disposed within the flexible catcher member between the first and second end and a disposable insert member detachably coupled within the storage cavity, wherein the flexible catcher member includes an opening at the first end configured to move between a first position and a second position when a force is applied to sides of the flexible catcher member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present general inventive concept relates to an apparatus having a disposable insert used to capture, absorb, and dispose of germs expelled when a user coughs and/or sneezes to prevent the spread of germs, disease, and infection.

2. Background of the Invention

Many diseases are spread from one person to another by the spreading of germs from infected people. When a person sneezes or coughs, germs are propelled at a rate of 100 miles per hour and can travel well over 20 feet.

As a result, people are taught to cover their nose and mouths with napkins when they cough or sneeze to prevent the spread of germs to other people. However, people will often touch their faces or other objects, without even knowing it, before washing their hands, which may lead to the spread of illness.

Instead, to properly prevent the spread of disease, people must dispose of the used napkin and wash their hands immediately. Accordingly, there is a need for a sanitary barrier between a user and germs expelled when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a portable egress containment apparatus including a flexible catcher member having a first end and an opposing second end, a storage cavity disposed within the flexible catcher member between the first and second end, and a disposable insert member detachably coupled within the storage cavity, wherein the flexible catcher member includes an opening at the first end configured to move between a first position and a second position when a force is applied to sides of the flexible catcher member.

The insert member includes one or more attachment members.

The one or more attachment members may be formed in a rectangular shape extending from an end of the disposable insert member.

The flexible catcher member may include one or more attachment slots configured to detachably couple to the one or more attachment members.

The flexible catcher member includes a recess disposed on the second end to receive a users finger for support.

The recess may be formed in a semi-circular shape.

The at least one of the flexible catcher member and the disposable insert member may be formed with a vent.

The first position may correspond to a closed position and the second position corresponds to an open position.

A cavity within the disposable insert member may be open when the flexible catcher member is in the second position.

It is briefly noted that upon a reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize various means for carrying out these intended features of the invention. As such it is to be understood that other methods, applications and systems adapted to the task may be configured to carry out these features and are therefore considered to be within the scope and intent of the present invention and are anticipated. With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device.

It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether they affect the activity or action of the listed elements.

The objects features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a portable egress containment apparatus according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept, in a closed state;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 1, in an open state;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 2, with a disposable insert is in a closed state;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are front perspective views of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 2, with the disposable insert partially removed;

FIG. 4C is a front view of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 2, with the disposable insert completely removed;

FIG. 4D is a side view of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 4C

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the portable egress containment apparatus of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the portable egress containment apparatus with the insert removed of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The exemplary embodiments are described below to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Various embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide a portable egress containment apparatus having a flexible body member having a cavity designed to receive a disposable insert configured to capture, absorb, and dispose of germs expelled when a user coughs and/or sneezes to prevent the spread of germs, disease, and infection.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a portable egress containment apparatus 100 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept, in a closed state and FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the portable egress containment apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, in an open state.

In the present embodiment, the portable egress containment apparatus 100 includes a flexible catcher member 110 having a first end 110 a and an opposing second end 110 b.

The flexible catcher member 110 includes a storage cavity 102 configured to receive and couple to a disposable insert member 120.

In the present embodiment, the flexible catcher member 110 includes an opening 110 formed at the first end 110 a that is configured to move between from a first position P1 (see FIG. 1) to a second position P2 (see FIG. 2) when a force F1 is applied on opposing sides of the first end 110 a the flexible catcher member 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

In alternative embodiments, the insert member 120 includes one or more attachment members 122. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

In the present embodiment, the flexible catcher member 110 includes one or more attachment slots 114 configured to detachably couple to the one or more attachment members 122 of the disposable insert member 120.

In the present embodiment, the flexible catcher member 110 may further include a recess 116 disposed on the second end 110 b to receive a user's finger. In alternative embodiments, the recess 116 may be formed in a semi-circular shape so as to conform to a contour of a users hand and/or finger. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

In the present embodiment, the disposable insert storage cavity 112 is configured to receive a disposable insert member 120 that is designed to capture, absorb, and dispose of germs expelled when a user coughs and/or sneezes to prevent the spread of germs, disease, and infection. The disposable insert member 120 may be manufactured from various filtering materials including conventional surgical masks, tissues, cotton, coated paper, or the like. The disposable insert member 120 is designed to absorb moisture and impervious to airborne germs.

In alternative embodiments, the flexible catcher member 110 and the disposable insert member 120 may further include ventilation to provide sufficient airflow, while capturing and absorbing airborne particles and germs. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

In operation, referring to FIG. 1, the portable egress containment apparatus 100 is maintained in the closed position so as to seal off the contents therein, including the disposable insert member 120 from an external environment. When a user applies a force F1 at the first end 110 a of the flexible catcher member 110, the opening 110 c transforms from the closed position to the open position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, since the attachment members 122 of the disposable insert member 120 are coupled to the attachment slots 114, the disposable insert member 120 is forced open. A user may then sneeze and/or cough into the opening 124 thereby capturing and absorbing airborne germs and particles. The user may then release the flexible catcher member 110, while supporting the portable egress containment apparatus 100 using a finger within the recess 116.

The user may then remove and disposed the disposable insert member 120, without coming into physical contact with germs captured within the disposable insert member 120.

While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable egress containment apparatus, comprising: a flexible catcher member having a first end and an opposing second end; a storage cavity disposed within the flexible catcher member between the first and second end; and a disposable insert member detachably coupled within the storage cavity, wherein the flexible catcher member includes an opening at the first end configured to move between a first position and a second position when a force is applied to sides of the flexible catcher member.
 2. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insert member includes one or more attachment members.
 3. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more attachment members are formed in a rectangular shape extending from an end of the disposable insert member.
 4. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flexible catcher member includes one or more attachment slots configured to detachably couple to the one or more attachment members.
 5. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible catcher member includes a recess disposed on the second end to receive a users finger for support.
 6. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the recess is formed in a semi-circular shape.
 7. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flexible catcher member and the disposable insert member s formed with a vent.
 8. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position corresponds to a closed position and the second position corresponds to an open position.
 9. The portable egress containment apparatus of claim 8, wherein a cavity within the disposable insert member is open when the flexible catcher member is in the second position. 